Earlier tonight, I did a live pickle making demonstration over on the Food in Jars Facebook page (you can watch it any time you want right here). In it, I made a small batch of one of my favorite pickles – pickled okra.
Now, before you wrinkle your nose and announce that you don’t like okra, know that pickling it reduces its slime factor quite radically. I find that people who normally dislike okra find much to appreciate about the pickled version. Even my mother, who is disinterested in okra on a good day, can really dig into a jar of the pickled version. I highly recommend that you try it.
Pickled Okra
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds small okra pods use those that are between 3-4 inches in length
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons pickling salt
- 8 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dill seed
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
Instructions
- Prepare a boiling water bath canner and 4 pint jars.
- Wash the okra pods and trim away the stem ends.
- Combine vinegar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Divide the garlic cloves, dill seed, red chili flake, mustard seeds, and peppercorns evenly between the four jars.
- Pack the okra into the jars over the spices, arranging them so that the bottom layer has the tips up and the top layer is tips down.
- Pour the boiling brine over the okra, leaving approximately 1/4 inch headspace.
- Gently tap the jars on the counter to loosen any trapped air bubbles. For stubborn air pockets, use a chopstick to wiggle them free.
- Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
- When the time is up, remove the jars and set them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When the jars have cooled enough that you can comfortably handle them, check the seals.
- Sealed jars can be stored at room temperature for up to a year. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
I love okra…in every way. Regarding pickled…no need to blanch first? I struggle with that point all the time. BTW, pickled okra is a wonderful addition to a well crafted bloody mary!
Absolutely no need to blanch! It softens up just the right amount in the canner.
I love okra almost every way it can be fixed if it is done properly. I really love some pickled okra. I hope I find some nice fresh okra to pickle this year.
My family loves okra done two ways…grilled and pickled. I love your pickled okra recipe, but boy is it tangy!
Would it be safe to add a tablespoon of sugar to the brine or would that change the ph and make it unsafe?
Sugar has no impact on acidity. You can always add it without issue.
My brine dropped about an inch after water bath canning. Is this a bad sign? Also, the brine looks cloudy. Do you know why this would happen?
The brine level always drops with okra. The pods are hollow and so they absorb the brine. This is normal and there’s nothing to worry about. As far as the brine going cloudy, that sometimes happens with okra. Everything you’re experiencing sounds pretty normal.